A little less than a year ago I made a huge change and chopped off over 8 inches of my hair. It was a big leap for me but I enjoyed it and I didn’t regret my decision at all. I think that’s because the timing was right for the change. If you are thinking about chopping some hair but you aren’t sure if you’re ready, I encourage you to read my post that I wrote right after I cut it, because I think it sums up how I knew I was ready to do it. I mean to be honest it was still scary, I definitely peed myself a little while it was being cut and there was DEFINITELY an adjustment period after, but it felt good overall.
Now I am well into the process of growing out a lob, and I think I have some pretty good insight on this hair journey as well.
But first if you don’t feel like reading that previous post, here are some photos of how much I chopped off…
It was a lot. I think I lost 5lbs in an hour. There was a healthy sized muskrat of hair on the floor around me. It looked like we killed a Sasquatch. Sh*t got real.
I kept it short for a while, trimming it along the way but eventually I decided this experiment was over and I was going to start growing the long hair back again. Deep down I had always loved my long hair, but I needed some time away…if you love something let it go right? Right.
Now my hair is about halfway between the long hair I started with and the lob, which is around boob length I guess. But instead of describing how it lines up with various body parts, how about a photo? This is how long it is now.
At this point I’m a few months into the process of growing it out and here is what I have learned about the ins and outs of growing out a lob along the way.
- KEEP IT HEALTHY // As you grow out your shorter cut you might start itching for change again. I am completely guilty of that because I almost ruined the health of my hair in an attempt to try something “fun” and new and fueled by damaging bleach. Don’t give in to the itch like I did and try something crazy that involves bleaching. At least try not to. I got away with it because it was super healthy to begin with and I was at least smart enough to use Olaplex, but it could have taken a hard left turn. The healthier your hair is, the easier it will be for you to grow it out long and pretty. I also have a very old (very very very old) post about the do’s and don’ts of growing long healthy hair that while completely outdated visually and I look like a baby in the photos, is still pretty solid advice if you care to have a look at that and get a bigger picture of my in depth thoughts on this topic.
- DON’T BE AFRAID TO ADD LAYERS// As your hair begins to grow, you may start to feel attached to every last iota of every last strand. I get it, I was there too, but adding some layers will help I swear! For one thing, it can actually make your hair look fuller and longer because it adds texture, bounce and body, and a more streamlined, flowing shape. Second of all, as a lob grows out that all-one-length, effortless, cool girl, chic look can become pretty drab and lifeless. It gets heavy, especially if your hair is thick like mine, or very limp and blah and noodle-esque if it’s on the thin side. Layers are your friend.
- GET SOME CLIP IN EXTENSIONS // If you are feeling particularly impatient you can always get some clip in extensions. They are more comfortable and easy to use than you think. Also, if you are getting the itch to add a fun crazy color and don’t think you can stop yourself, extensions can accomplish that too! There are tons of funky colored extensions out there. I have a teal ombre set, and they fill my needs when I’m starting to feel myself want to do something crazy or when I just need to mermaid it out a bit. We all need to be a mermaid now and then, that’s a fact.
- USE MESSY WAVES TO HIDE ANY AWKWARD LENGTHS // As you grow it out, especially in the early stages, you might find that it is just at an awkward length. It may hit the shoulder area weird and sit funny for a while and man-oh-man can it be frustrating. Theres a length between a lob and a long hairstyle that’s just no-man’s land, and getting lost there can be a harrowing experience. My best advice to you is to employ the help of messy waves. The messier the better. Soft, pretty waves are nice but they are too smooth to help hide the awkward. Messy waves have a way of camouflaging things and tricking the eye so you don’t quite notice as much. As you can imagine, this is in fact something I learned by trial and error. Grievous, grievous error.
- DUDE…BE PATIENT// I know it’s hard, but give it time. As long as you aren’t someone who’s hair has a hard time growing to begin with, then it will happen. Try to enjoy every stage along the way and think of it as an ever evolving style. You will read things online about rubbing different concoctions on your scalp to grow your hair in a week, and all sorts of nonsense. Those are most likely harmless but quite frankly they don’t work. You can take supplements for hair growth like Biotin, and keep a healthy lifestyle, which will help maximize your personal hair growth potential. But at the root (get it? root?) hair growth rate is mostly dictated by health and genetics and usually averages about 1/4-1/2 inch per month. Just take care of your hair, and your whole body, and the length will come.
That’s it, it’s really pretty simple. Hopefully you found some if my insight helpful if you’re currently growing out a lob. If you’re frustrated, don’t worry you got this! And if you need to, feel free to leave me a comment about how frustrated you are and I’ll do my best to give you a pep talk. I’ve been told I’m pretty good at those. #quinnspiration ?
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